Rein spreader and guide for harness



S..W. REYNOLDS. REIN SPREADER AND GUIDE FOR HARNESS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2 8, I920.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

ATToRyEy UNITED srerss ATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. REYNOLDS, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO REYNOLDS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 03 TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

REIN SPREADER AND Application filed June 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL lV. REYNOLDS, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Rein Spreaders and Guides for Harness, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a rein spreader and guide for harnesses of the class set forth in the patent to Jl Iathias No. 700,795, May 27, 1902, in so far as it makes use of a pair of similar but reversely arranged roller supporting sections having portions thereof overlapping one upon the other and provided with loops for receiving a spreader strap, but differs therefrom in certain structural features, viz: first, in pivoting said members within and coaxial with the roller so that they may be folded and unfolded upon and from each other about said axis; second, in providing thev sections with interlocking members to hold them against relath e lateral movement when folded one upon the other; third, in providing the roller with interior sheet metal linings or bearings for re ceiving the pintles of the folding sections, and fourth, in providing the sections with means for holding the sheet metal linings or bearings against axial displacement from their respective pintles.

The main object is to increase the general working efiiciency and durability of a device of this character, and, at the same time, to "facilitate and reduce the cost of assembling by permitting the pintles with the sheet metal bearings thereon to be easily and quickly assembled in the roller independently of each other with the assurance that the sheet metal hearings will be firmly held in the roller against rotation, and at the same time, to enable the roller with the sheet metal linings therein to rotate freely upon the pintles without binding or liability of axial displacement.

Another object is to provide means for assisting the spreader strap in holding the sections against lateral displacement when folded one upon the other. 7

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be'brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation and Figure 2 Specification of Letters Patent,

GUIDE FOR HARNESS.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922. 1920. Serial No. 392,209.

a top plan. of a rein spreader and guide embodying the various features of my invention, the spreader strap and rein being shown partly in section in Figure :2.

Figure 8 is a sectional view partly in plan of the same device with the sections unfolded.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2.

As illustrated, this device comprises a twopart metal frame composed of similar but reverseiy arranged U-shaped sections --1- and 2, a roller S and sheet metal bushings or linings ,l, which are tightly fitted in the central lengthwise circular opening 5- in the roller One of the arms of each of the sections -l and -2- constitutes a pivotal stud or pintle 6 of approximately one-half the length of the roller -3-, said pintles being inserted from opposite ends of and into the central opening 5 in the roller and also within their respective sleeves or bushings 4, so that their adjacent ends lie in close proximity substantially midway between the ends of the roller. I

The sleeves el are also of substantially onedialf the length of the roller and are preferably split through one side and placed over and upon their respective pintles --6- between inner and outer annular shoulders 5- and 8 prior to the insertion of said pintles and sleeves within the lengthwise opening 5- of said roller, said annular shoulders serving to hold the sleeves against axial displacement upon their respective" spindles when the parts are assembled for use, and also during the operation of forcing the pintles with the sleeves thereon into the roller through opposite ends of the opening -o-.

The other arms, as -9 and 10 of the sections 1 and --2 are integrally united to the outer ends of their respective sec-r tions i and 2-- by connecting bars -il which are of sufficient radial length to hold the arms and --1(lsome distance from the periphery of the roller These arms 9- and 1()-- are substantially fiat and parallel with pintles 6' and are located substantially the same distance from the axis of said pintles or roller 3 so as to lie flatwise one upon the other when folded together, said arms being provided with transversely elongated apertures or slots 12 for receiving a loop 12 3 of a hame strap 14-, the latter hem usually attached to the hame in any well permit the same to ride freely therethrough against the inner face of the roller 3-, as shown more clearly in rigures -1- and -2-.

These spaces15 between the periphery of the roller and arms --9 and -10-are open at one end only, the open end of one section being at one end of the roller, while the opening in the other section is at the opposite end of the roller, which permits the rein or line 16- to be inserted in said spaces through the open ends thereof when the sections 1- and 2-- are unfolded, as for example in the position-shown in Figure 3 without detaching or withdrawing the line from the bits or other parts of the harness through which it is carried although it is necessary to disengage the loop -13 of the spreader strap from the slotted plates 9- and 1 0.

When the rein is inserted in the open ended slots 15 and engaged with the inner face of the roller. the sections 1*-- and2may be folded one upon the other to bring the plates -9 and -10- into close contact, after which the spreader strap 1lmay be looped through the slots 12 and attached to the hame in any wel known manner.

This loop 13- serves in a measure to,

receiving a boss or projection -18- 011 the other plate 10 when the plates are tolded one upon the other, whereby the interlocking'parts i-l7 and 18- will serve to additionally hold the sections against relative endwise displacement from the roller; the sheet metal sleeves or bushings -4 are preferably cut and formed to the desired sim, before placing them upon the pintles-6, and in assembling them upon the pintles, they are sprung open along the slit, as -19 sufficiently to allow them to slip over the annular shoulders -7-- and upon the main bodies of the pintles with their outer ends against the shoulders 8-, whereupon they automatically contract by their own spring tension upon the periphery of said pintles.

rior walls of the bore to cause the sleeves to rotate with the roller upon the pintles --6-, said sleeves constituting metalbearings for the nintles to better resist wear at all points throughout the length of the roller and to enable the roller to rotate with greater freedom and with less lost motion than wouldbe the case if the metal bushings were omitted, it being understood that these rollers are usually made of hard woodto reduce the weight and noise incidental to their operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a roller having a central lengthwise opening, separate U-shaped members,-each having one of its arms provided with annular shoulders in spaced relation, split bushings journaled upon the shouldered arms between the shoulders thereof, said bushings being tightly fitted in the lengthwise opening of the roller, each of the U-shaped members being rotatable about the axis of the roller within its bushing and having its other arm provided with a lengthwise slot, said slots being registered with each other when the members are folded one upon the other to receive a supporting member.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a roller having a central lengthwise opening, separate U-shaped members, each having oneof its arms provided with annular shoulders in spaced rela tion, split bushings journaled upon the shouldered arms between the shoulders thereof, said bushings being tightly fitted in the lengthwise opening of the roller, each oi? the U-shaped members being rotatable about the axis of the roller within its bushing and having its other arm provided with lengthwise slots, said slots being registered with each other when the members are folded one uponthe other to receive a supporting member, and means on the last named arms for holding them against relative lateral displacement when adjusted for use.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of June, 1920.

SAMUEL V. REYNOLDS.

lVitnesses MAncUnnrrn Hii'roHrNos, SARAH J, SANGUINET. 

